Advance Auto Parts, is headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, and is now the largest retailer of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States by store count after acquiring CARQUEST in October 2013. AAP was founded in 1932 and had 2011 sales of approximately $6.2 billion. AAP operates over 3,800 stores in forty U.S. states and has over 55,000 employees.

In 2005, Advance Auto Parts purchased Autopart International, Inc. which operates 202 stores along the Atlantic Seaboard. As of 2014, Autopart International still operates as a separate division within Advance Auto.

In 2013 AAP Purchased General Parts Inc. including CARQUEST, CARQUEST Canada and WorldPac for $2.04 billion.

In April 1932, Arthur Taubman purchased from Pep Boys, the Advance Stores, with two stores in Roanoke, Virginia and one in Lynchburg, Virginia.

The first major expansion of Advance Auto Parts was in 1998 when the company acquired the remaining operations of Western Auto, an auto parts and general store retailer. Most of the Western Auto operations had been taken over by Sears, Roebuck and Co. in 1987.

In April 2001, Advance Auto Parts acquired Carport Auto Parts, a regional retail chain with 29 stores in Alabama and Mississippi. On November 28, Advance acquired 671 Discount Auto Parts, Inc., a regional auto parts chain in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Louisiana. Upon completion of this merger, Advance Auto Parts became a publicly traded company, listed as a common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AAP. The year ended with 2,484 stores in 38 states.

In September 2006, Advance Auto Parts (NYSE:AAP) announced an agreement with ADMMicro, a VA-based company, to retrofit certain existing stores and equip new stores with an Energy Management System (EMS).

In 2010, Advance Auto Parts announced a deal with Monster Jam to become the title sponsor. The company sponsors a truck on the circuit called the Advance Auto Parts Grinder. As of the close of FY 2013, Advance has chosen not to renew ties with Monster Jam, and the Feld Organization.

In December 2012, Advance Auto Parts acquired BWP Distributors, a Carquest franchise for the New England region that included the transfer of 124 company owned retail locations plus 2 distribution centers. The responsibility for 92 independently owned location that were service by BWP were transferred to General Parts, Inc., the largest Carquest franchise along with one distribution center for servicing those locations.

On October 16, 2013, Advance Auto Parts entered into a definitive agreement to acquire to General Parts International, Inc. (GPI), a leading privately held distributor and supplier of original equipment and aftermarket replacement products for commercial markets operating under the CARQUEST and WORLDPAC brands. The transaction has been approved by the boards of directors for both companies. The deal creates the largest automotive aftermarket parts provider in North America, with annual sales of more than $9.2 billion and more than 70,000 employees.

General Parts International, with corporate headquarters in Raleigh, NC, has seen a significant rise in personnel since being acquired by Advance. Most of these added jobs are personnel from Roanoke, Minnesota or between the now redundant GPI positions being transferred to Raleigh. It is hopeful that the net result between these former GPI positions and the corresponding new Advance positions is a gain. However, as announced 8/10/2015 on the local NPR radio station, WUNC, Advance Auto is in the process of laying off at least 100 employees from the both home offices to eliminate duplicate positions.

In 2014 Advance Auto Parts began a Loyalty Program for DIY customers, named SpeedPerks. By enrolling in the loyalty program, the member will receive discounts off of purchases without the need of a card or point system. When a customer spends $30 in store before tax, a $5 off coupon will be sent in their email, for a $100 purchase before tax a $20 off coupon will be emailed to the member.

On September 30, 2015, Starboard Value LP, an activist investment firm disclosed a 3.7 percent stake in Advance Auto Parts. Through a letter to Chief Executive Darren Jackson and a keynote presentation published on Starboard's website, Starboard Values believes that Advance Auto Parts shares have the potential to reach $350 each if the company takes steps to improve profit margins. The presentation also stated that "Advance Auto Parts has substantially underperformed compared to peers on almost any measure, including operating margins, revenue growth, and total shareholder return." Roanoke, Virginia-based Advance Auto's sales have missed market expectations in four of the past six quarters. Starboard Value LP was behind the ouster of the entire board of restaurant operator Darden Restaurants Inc last year, owners of the Red Lobster/Olive Garden restaurants. With the writing on the wall, In November 2015, Darren Jackson elected to resign his position as CEO effective Jan 02, 2016.